- "Ma eng" cake (in the ethnic language "ma eng" means puppy) is a long-standing cake of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Binh Gia district. From simple ingredients such as sticky rice flour and sugar, the people here have skillfully created a unique cake, imbued with the national cultural identity.
To learn about the steps of making this unique cake , we had the opportunity to visit the family of Mrs. Luong Thi Chuyen , Van Mich village, Hong Phong commune, Binh Gia district, who has been involved in the cake making profession for many years. While busy preparing the ingredients, Mrs. Chuyen shared: I was born and raised in Hong Phong commune, Binh Gia district . Since I was a child, my mother taught me how to make "ma eng" cake . This is a cake that our ethnic people often make on holidays and festivals to eat or to serve guests. In 2000, when I got married, my family started making this cake to sell on market days in Hong Phong, Hung Dao, Hoi Hoan communes, Binh Gia town. On average, I sell about 1,000 cakes per day, with a selling price of 1,000 VND/cake .

To make the "ma eng" cake delicious , soft and chewy, the most important step is choosing the ingredients. Accordingly, the rice to make the cake must be sticky rice from the winter crop, the maker must choose long, shiny rice grains that are not broken . The sticky rice is soaked in water for about 3 hours, then ground into flour and pressed to remove all the water, leaving only the starch. During the process of soaking the rice, the maker also adds soybeans to make the cake more delicious.
After the sticky rice flour has dried, the baker will mix the flour with rock sugar (made from sugar cane) and add enough water and knead to blend the two ingredients together. Next, the flour is put on the stove to steam for about 40 minutes. During the steaming process, the baker must pay attention to cook the flour just right because if the flour is too cooked, it will be mushy and if it is too dry, it will be hard. After steaming, the flour is taken out and mixed with a portion of dry flour and kneaded until the dough reaches a soft, elastic consistency. After that, the baker will divide it into small pieces and shape the head, tail, and legs like a puppy. After shaping, the cake is put on a pan of hot oil to stir. If you want the cake to be delicious, the baker must pay attention to cook the heat not too high or too low, until the cake floats up and turns a cockroach-colored color, then it is done.
According to the people of Binh Gia district, no one knows when the "ma eng" cake was created, but it is known that this cake has been passed down through many generations. In the past, when life was still difficult and hard, people created this cake to snack on and serve guests on holidays. Now, as life is increasingly developed, many people have made this cake to sell, serving the needs of many customers. Currently, the whole district has about 3-4 families making this cake regularly for sale. Without needing sophisticated ingredients , the finished "ma eng" cake is attractive because of its golden brown color and beautiful puppy shape . With a sweet, chewy but not greasy taste, "ma eng" cake has been loved by many people in and outside the district, especially children, so this cake is often bought by mothers and grandmothers as gifts for their children and grandchildren.

Ms. Trieu Thi Thuy , Diem He commune, Van Quan district shared: At the end of 2023, I had the opportunity to go to the market in Binh Gia town and tried the "ma eng" cake . I found this cake very unique and strange. When I ate the cake , I found it very delicious and strange. The cake has a moderate sweetness, not too sweet , very easy to eat . With this cake, both adults and children can eat it, so when I returned, I bought it as a gift for everyone in the family . Whenever I have the opportunity to pass through Binh Gia district on market day, I always stop by to buy the cake to enjoy.
Ms. Do Thi Thanh Mui, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Binh Gia district, said: "Ma eng" cake is one of the unique cakes that has existed for a long time among the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Binh Gia district. Nowadays, due to the increasing demand of the market, some households make this cake to sell on market days in the district. Thereby, contributing to preserving the traditional culture of the nation, while creating diversity for the cuisine in the district.
From simple, rustic ingredients, "ma eng" cake is not only a traditional cake of the people in Binh Gia district but also a simple gift for visitors from near and far whenever they have the opportunity to come to the district.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/banh-ma-eng-mon-banh-doc-dao-cua-nguoi-dan-binh-gia-5016309.html
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